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No. 6H,67l. Patented Oct. 4, I898. C. F. ZENKER.

CIGAR PACKAGE,

(Application filed Apr. 1, 1898.)

(No Model.)

ATTORN EY 1H: Norms PEYERS co. morou'mu, wAsumoTon, n. c.

CHARLES F. ZENKER,

EErcE.

PATENT OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ClGAR-PACKAG E.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 611,671, dated October 4, 1898.

Application filed April 1 1898. Serial No. 676,053. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. ZENKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar-Packages; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to cigar-packages and its novelty consists in the construction and adaptation of the parts, as will be more fully hereinafter pointed out.

There is a constant demand among users of cigars for a package which can be slipped into the pocket easily and which will safely contain a number of cigars during the time usually consumed in smoking them. Such pocket-cases are now made of leather, leatherboard, papier-mach, or the like, and are open at one end, and contain four, five, or, at the most, six cigars. They also afford little or no protection against friction among the contained cigars, and when the number carried is reduced below that necessary to fill the case the cigars are apt to be injured by the freedom of motion thus permitted.

My invention has for its object the production of a pocket-box which shall contain a number of cigars and prevent them from moving injuriously within the boX or against each other until the last one is used up. In addition I make my package of such a size that it will contain twelve cigars. This is the smallest number permitted by the revenue laws of the United States to be packed in a box at a cigar factory, and the presence of the stamp, 850., gives the purchaser of such an original package a guaranty of authenticity otherwise not attainable.

I accomplish my stated purpose by providing the box with a tray fitting snugly upon the bottom and provided at two of its oppo site sides with upwardly-projecting pieces of looped wire chenille,adapted to retain in place the ends of the cigars, placed transversely across the tray.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my filled package with the lid open,

and Fig. 2 is a similar view of the tray partly filled.

In the drawings, 13 is the box, made of any suitable size and material, preferably wood, and provided with a lid L, means for fastening down the lid F, and cover-paper P, if desired, the latter for preventing actual contact between the surfaces of the upper row of the cigars and the lid.

T is the tray,adapted to fit snugly within the box and on the bottom. Along two of the opposite edges of this tray is suitably secured, by sewing or otherwise, a piece or pieces of wire chenille O, bent to form loops cof any desired size or form, the object of the loops being partly to encircle or inclose the ends of the cigars placed upon the tray.

The chenille has the peculiar property of being stiff enough to be bent into the desired shape and to retain its shape and to possess elasticity enough to return to its original position after slight displacement. At the same time its soft fibrous covering as it comes into contact with the cigars does not injure or chip them in the least.

The manner of using my package is as follows: When the box is full,the pressure of the closed lid keeps the cigars upon the top row in place, even if there is only one left in that row. When, however, the top row is removed, the cigars on the bottom row would immediately shake loose and be injured under ordinary conditions of carriage if some means were not employed to keep them in place. It will not do to use anything stiff or rigid for such purpose. Even paper will induce sufficient friction to injure the ends of the cigars. I have discovered, however, that in the wire chenille I have an ideal means for this purpose. The cigars when so held in place can be used up one by one and yet are not shaken or easily removed from their position.

It is expected that when the cigars are used up the package will be thrown away.

It is obvious that I may secure the chenille to the sides of the box or to its bottom if I dispense with the tray, although I prefer the tray, as being useful in packing. It is also obvious that equivalents of the chenille which possess the same properties of elasticity, rigidity, and a soft surface may be em ployed Without departing from the principles of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. A package for cigars provided along one or more of its internal edges with retainingpieces of chenille adapted to wholly or partly encircle the ends of the cigars.

2. In a package for cigars a supplemental tray provided along one or more of its edges with upwardly-projecting retaining-strips of elastic material provided with a soft external surface.

In testimony whereof I have signed this I 5 specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES F. ZENKER.

\Vitnesses:

13. BI. SCOTT, IIERMIAN LIEYER. 

